Warner Bros., others honor Sarah Jones
Memorial internship is created in the name of the camera assistant killed on a movie set.
Warner Bros. Television Group and others in the industry announced the creation of a memorial internship and training program named after Sarah Jones, the camera assistant killed in a 2014 accident on the set of a movie.
Jones, 27, died after a train crashed into a set on a trestle during the first day of filming “Midnight Rider” in Georgia. Her death sparked an outpouring of concern by people in the entertainment industry, many of whom have advocated for better safety on film sets in the wake of the accident.
The training opportunity is geared toward Georgiabased filmmakers like Jones, who worked on a number of local productions including “The Vampire Diaries,” which was shot in Atlanta.
Warner Bros. Television Group joined forces with the production team from “The Vampire Diaries,” the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 479 and SIM Digital (a provider of production equipment, dailies and postproduction solutions) to create the training program, deemed “The Sarah Jones Opportunity.” The Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment also backed the new initiative.
“Sarah was a beloved member of our camera crew,” Julie Plec, executive director of “The Vampire Diaries,” said in a statement. “Her vivid, delightful personality, extraordinary work ethic and deep love for the creative and technical aspects of her job made her the kind of artist any production would be lucky to have on the team.”
The program includes a 20-week paid internship at SIM’s Digital’s Atlanta office, followed by 30 days of work as a crew member on an Atlanta-based Warner Bros. TV production. Participants are selected by a committee, which includes Plec, representatives from ICG Local 600, SIM Digital, “The Vampire Diaries” camera department and the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment.
Richard and Elizabeth Jones, Sarah Jones’ parents, expressed their gratitude for the training program. At the Sundance Film Festival this year, they unveiled a public service announcement called “Safety for Sarah.” The message urged viewers to honor Jones’ memory by directing them to PledgetoSarah.org to download a film set safety app.
“We are honored that you have chosen to recognize our daughter with this internship opportunity for future students looking to excel in camera work,” they said in a statement.
The internship and job training program kicked off with its inaugural participant, Chelsea Craig. The former film student from Trident Technical College has completed her training and is now a member of the International Cinematographers Guild.